The Substance Takes a Grotesque Look at Vanity and Envy

Starring Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore, this intense, satirical body horror film The Substance has been one of the most popular films of 2024. There have been mixed reviews on the final act, where its grotesque elements get taken to an unimaginable extreme. It has become a frequent topic in social media film analysis where some say it is exaggerated and unrealistic, and others say it is meant to be campy. Either way, viewers can agree that it teaches an important lesson about modern-day beauty standards and how envy and vanity tend to be focal points in the lives of modern women. 

The Substance follows the life of fifty-year-old Elisabeth Sparkle, played by Demi Moore, a Hollywood actress best known for her aerobics show, Sparkle Your Life. After she is fired from her show for being too old, Elisabeth begins to deplore the realities of aging in the entertainment industry and spirals into a cycle of self-hate. At the height of her crisis, Elisabeth is offered a substance that will generate a younger, more beautiful, and ultimately “better” version of her body. However, for this to work, she must switch between this alter ego body and her true body every seven days without fail. The enhanced version of herself, Sue, played by Margaret Qualley, starts as a great alternative to Elisabeth’s self-loathing. Sue replaces Elisabeth’s modern aerobic show and lives the life of the beautiful young woman that Elisabeth had been yearning to relive. As the plot thickens, Sue and Elisabeth begin to view themselves as separate entities—as opposed to the same mind shared between two bodies—which is against the instructions of the substance. Sue begins to take more time for herself, staying past the seven-day limit and leading to Elisabeth’s physical deterioration. Despite having the option to stop the process before it gets too bad, Elisabeth cannot bring herself to let go of Sue. As this tainted relationship continues, their relationship spirals into chaos and reaches the point of grotesque physical alterations.

The Substance represents the ageism within modern society that deflects aging as a thing to fear or eliminate, especially as the rise of plastic surgery and physical changes has become overly normalized among young women. The film shows how the exaggeration of vanity can produce results significantly worse than the original “flaw” and how envy can have a mental weight on the mind and soul. By the end of the film, Elisabeth finds herself wishing she could return to her original self, yet her attempt to retain youth turns her into a monster, harming her body so much so that she no longer resembles a woman at all. These disturbing physical distortions are exaggerated to show the audience the dangers of societal expectations. Commonly, women subject themselves to harsh treatments and extreme physical changes to try to reach the beauty standards portrayed on social media and television. These women are not aware that there is no true way to reach these standards, and they end up falling into a constant cycle of body dysmorphia and self-hatred. The Substance is not shy in its messages.

The Substance encourages viewers not to fear their ages and instead embrace them, encouraging young women not to stress about their physical appearances and make it the focal point of their lives. Watching this film is truly an eye-opener to how destructive beauty standards can be when taken too far. 

The Substance uses violent imagery and disturbing visuals to show how comparison is the thief of joy, even when that comparison is with a past self. In a theatrical sense, the film was over the top and dramatic in the best ways possible. Taking these themes to the extreme is the only way for audiences to truly take in the importance of its lessons. The slowly growing body horror and violence make this film something that audiences will continue to think about long after it is over and make it a big step for mainstream film in general, creating an atmosphere where women’s insecurities are a safe topic. The Substance is a revolutionary film that will continue to impact women of all ages who struggle with their self-image.